Parliamentary questions

Elaine Murray

2,411 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

9 Feb 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether children whose parents wish to request deferred entry to primary and therefore to pre-school education retain their full entitlement to funding of their pre-school place.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Under the current grant system, a child who defers entry into pre-school education remains entitled to a funded place in the standard pre-school year. Provision of additional pre-school education thereafter is at the local authority's discretion. A chi…

9 Feb 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will re-examine liability for registration costs for voluntary organisations which work with children and young people.

Answer · Jim Wallace: A Review Group, which is chaired by Jackie Baillie, Deputy Minister for Communities, is considering the impact of charges for criminal records on the voluntary sector including registration costs. The group is meeting regularly and hopes to reach conclusions …

9 Feb 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it gives to councils regarding client choice in the allocation of places for respite and permanent residential care.

Answer · Iain Gray: Scottish Executive advice to local authorities is set out in Circular SWSG5/93 Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 (Choice of Accommodation) Directions 1993. The Directions are intended to ensure people have a genuine choice over where they receive residential ca…

9 Feb 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what additional funding has been allocated for the treatment of drug and alcohol misusers and how this funding is distributed.

Answer · Iain Gray: Spending on drug treatment by Health Boards is being boosted by £6 million over a three-year period, bringing annual spend to over £11 million. This represents a 20% rise on previous levels. This funding is distributed via individual Health Boards.Funding …

2 Feb 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in developing indicators of rural deprivation, whether these will be used in the determination of financial settlements for public bodies including local authorities and, if so, when.

Answer · John Home Robertson: The allocation of resources in the Scottish Executive's programmes takes a number of rural circumstances into consideration. The Executive is currently investigating methods of identifying rural disadvantage. These will be taken into account in determining al…

31 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether holiday pay for retained fire fighters as required by the European Working Time Directive was taken into account in determining the grant-aided expenditure increases awarded to Scotland's fire brigades for the year 2000-01.

Answer · Angus MacKay: Likely increases in pay costs were taken into account in the determination of total fire service GAE for each of the 3 years 1999-2000 to 2001-02, but the entitlement of retained firefighters to holiday pay is an issue which is still under consideration …

31 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what formula was used to calculate the grant-aided expenditure increases awarded to Scotland's fire brigades for the year 2000-01 and when it will be reviewed.

Answer · Angus MacKay: Total fire service GAE is distributed each year in accordance with a distribution formula agreed by the Distribution Committee of the Working Party on Local Government Finance. The formula is based on 3 indicators; namely, standardised establishments, st…

31 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what factors were taken into consideration in determining the grant-aided expenditure increases awarded to Scotland's fire brigades for the year 2000-01.

Answer · Angus MacKay: Total fire service GAE was increased from £178.5 million for 1999-2000 to £186.9 million for 2000-01 to include provision for increases in pay and pension costs, increased spending on community fire safety, improvements in health and safety training…

28 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve financial support to part-time students and whether this will form part of its full response to the Cubie Report.

Answer · Henry McLeish: Early in 1999, the Government announced the introduction in academic year 2000-01 of a scheme of loans for part-time students in higher education which was welcomed by the Cubie Committee. Scottish domiciled students on low incomes will be able to apply for a…

28 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the locations are of all beaches which have been granted bathing beach status.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Scotland has 60 bathing waters identified under the Bathing Water Directive.I have arranged for a copy of a map Bathing Waters Locations Scotland's 60 Identified Bathing Waters and the SEPA Report Scottish Bathing Waters 1999 Bath…

28 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines it has issued to the three water authorities regarding consultation with, and accountability to, local communities.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Local Consultation (New Water and Sewerage Authorities) Direction 1998 requires the water authorities to consult statutory and other bodies that represent interests in the local communities affected by the authorities' operations. It came into force on 24…

28 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will outline the criteria used to assess applications for signage to visitor attractions, hotels and other accommodation from trunk roads and motorways.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The criteria used to assess applications for signage to visitor attractions, hotels and other accommodation from trunk roads and motorways is contained within the Scottish Executive Trunk Road and Motorway Tourist Signposting Policy document. A copy of…

26 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will examine the operation of on-call ambulance services, and whether the conditions under which on-call ambulance crew work contravene the EU Working Time Directive.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Ambulance Service is currently undertaking a review of working arrangements at its ambulance stations to ensure their conditions fully comply with the EU Working Time Directive.Scottish Executive Health Dep…

26 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider treating as a special case those students from the South of Scotland whose local higher education institutions are located in the North of England and fund their university education on the same basis as other Scottish students.

Answer · Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive has no plans to treat such students as a special case. The Executive's view is that to extend the package of support to Scottish domiciled students studying elsewhere in the UK would run the risk of the UK being held to be in breach of …

19 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to assist and advise local authorities in securing additional funding, including Public Private Partnership funding, for the repair of school buildings.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive assists and advises councils on all possible procurement approaches, including Public private partnerships. In addition, there are well established arrangements under which local authorities are advised each year of the capital allocati…

24 Dec 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to help primary care trusts tackle the issue of prescription cost inflation, in particular the problem of the escalating prices of generic drugs.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The 1999-2000 unified allocations to Health Boards included for Scotland as a whole £610m in respect of GP and dental prescribing. Available at the present time confirms that this is adequate to meet current projected costs. It is however for Health Boards an…

24 Dec 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to reduce the period of time during which a summary warrant can be enforced from the current time limit of 20 years.

Answer · Jim Wallace: No. The long negative prescription period of 20 years is not peculiar to summary warrants but also applies to decrees granted under the usual procedure.

24 Dec 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any proposals to reduce the cut off point for pursuing council tax debts from 6 years after debt falls due to 5 years, as is the case with civil debts.

Answer · Jim Wallace: No. The period of prescription in the case of Council Tax debts, as for certain civil debts, is 20 years. The Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973, at Schedule 1, sets out which obligations prescribe after 5 years. Those obligations which do n…

24 Dec 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to look at the summary warrant procedure which exists for the collection of council tax debts and, in particular, allowing council tax payers the opportunity to make representations to an independent party prior to a summary warrant being issued, as is the case wi…

Answer · Jim Wallace: I am currently considering the need for a wide-ranging review of the diligence system as a whole. Any such review would include a review of the summary warrant procedure. It is already open to local taxpayers, prior to the grant of a summary warrant, to appea…

16 Dec 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase public awareness of myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) and the needs of its victims.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) is a complex condition, which unfortunately is not fully understood, and has, as yet, no definitive diagnostic test to identify it. The Scottish Executive is very much aware of the concerns of ME sufferers and the Chief Medical …

16 Dec 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on the use of beta interferon in the treatment of multiple sclerosis.

Answer · Susan Deacon: In 1995, guidance about new drugs for Multiple Sclerosis and clinical advice from the Scottish Medical Advisory Committee was issued to all Health Boards. The guidance asked Health Boards, in consultation with other key interests, to develop and implement loc…

16 Dec 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve services for sufferers from multiple sclerosis.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Needs Assessment Programme (SNAP) has established a Working Group to assess the total health needs of people suffering from multiple sclerosis. The Group's report, which will describe the epidemiology of the disease, the impact it has on patients…

10 Dec 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much will be saved through the loss of 374 jobs in the Scottish Prison Service and whether this sum was included in the #13 million reallocated from the Scottish Prison Service to the Drug Enforcement Agency.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The staff savings, prison closures and the management changes will be enough to enable the Scottish Prison Service to operate within its future baseline provision. The £13 million did not form part of this baseline and was reallocated to elsewhere in the Just…

10 Dec 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the full amount of the underspend is in the Scottish Prisons Service and whether the #13 million reallocated from the Scottish Prison Service to other areas was money not spent by the service in previous years.

Answer · Jim Wallace: £13 million. It is savings made by the Scottish Prison Service in previous years.

3 Dec 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what protection is available for home owners whose properties develop structural problems subsequent to purchase due to the use of defective building materials; and whether it has any plans to alter current liability.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: Home owners have the usual legal remedies, both statutory and under the common law of contract and delict - for instance, conditions in the missives of sale will continue to apply after the purchase.Protection is available to the …

19 Nov 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities include the income of partners when assessing the level of payment charged for domicilary care and whether, in its opinion, the practice of assessing the carer's income for this purpose is legal.

Answer · Iain Gray: The information is not held centrally. As set out in our guidance to local authorities, only the person receiving the services may be charged. However, authorities may consider whether a client has sufficient reliable access to resources other than his or her…

11 Nov 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans for the creation or use of any privately owned and operated prisons in Scotland other than Kilmarnock.

Answer · Jim Wallace: There are currently no plans.

3 Nov 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what numbers of Anti-social Neighbour Orders have been sought by each of Scotland's local authorities during the period from the introduction of the legislation to the present date.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: This information is not yet available. However, we have commissioned the Chartered Institute of Housing in Scotland to monitor the use of Anti-Social Behaviour Orders under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, as well as the extended powers of eviction for anti-s…

18 Oct 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to assist voluntary organisations such as the National Schi'ophrenia Foundation to pay the national minimum wage for therapeutic earnings by patients.

Answer · Henry McLeish: The Low Pay Commission has been asked to monitor and evaluate the impact of the introduction of the national minimum wage and is due to report to the UK Government next month. The Scottish Executive will examine its recommendations.

18 Oct 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will re-examine the formulae used to calculate grant aided expenditure to local authorities in order to take the needs of rural and remote communities into account.

Answer · Jack McConnell: Adjustments are already made to the distribution of Grant Aided Expenditure (GAE) allowances for a number of council services to acknowledge the additional costs of serving rural and remote communities. These adjustments were the subject of an extensive revie…